China: distribution of the workforce across economic sectors 2023

The statistic shows the distribution of the workforce across economic sectors in China from 2013 to 2023. In 2023, around 22.8 percent of the workforce were employed in the agricultural sector, 29.1 percent in the industrial sector and 48.1 percent in the service sector. This year, the share of agriculture increased for the first time in more than two decades, which highlights the difficult situation of the labor market due to the pandemic and economic downturn at the end of the year.

Distribution of the workforce in China

In 2012, China became the largest exporting country worldwide with an export value of about two trillion U.S. dollars. China’s economic system is largely based on growth and export, with the manufacturing sector being a crucial contributor to the country’s export competitiveness. Economic development was accompanied by a steady rise of labor costs, as well as a significant slowdown in labor force growth. These changes present a serious threat to the era of China as the world’s factory. The share of workforce in agriculture also steadily decreased in China until 2021, while the agricultural gross production value displayed continuous growth, amounting to approximately 7.8 trillion yuan in 2021.

Development of the service sector

Since 2011, the largest share of China’s labor force has been employed in the service sector. However, compared with developed countries, such as Japan or the United States, where 73 and 79 percent of the work force were active in services in 2021 respectively, the proportion of people working in the tertiary sector in China has been relatively low. The Chinese government aims to continue economic reform by moving from an emphasis on investment to consumption, among other measures. This might lead to a stronger service economy. Meanwhile, the size of the urban middle class in China is growing steadily. A growing number of affluent middle class consumers could promote consumption and help China move towards a balanced economy.

Distribution of the workforce across economic sectors in China from 2013 to 2023

Characteristic	Agriculture	Industry	Services
2023	22.8%	29.1%	48.1%
2022	24.1%	28.8%	47.1%
2021	22.9%	29.1%	48%
2020	23.6%	28.7%	47.7%
2019	24.7%	28.2%	47.1%
2018	25.7%	28.2%	46.1%
2017	26.7%	28.6%	44.7%
2016	27.4%	29.3%	43.3%
2015	28%	29.7%	42.3%
2014	29.3%	30.2%	40.5%
2013	31.3%	30.3%	38.4%